Well, if any of the posters had actually read the 10Q, they would see that it is plausible that the increase in AR is due to Euro shipments. It is also clear that there is a real problem in unsold Buells. But since no one bothered to read the 10Q, you didn't notice that.

Perhaps aggressive pricing by some dealers could at least in part explain the increase in finished goods. " This about sums up the problem!

One other issue is the lack of salesmanship at most Harley Dealers. I have been in Harley dealerships where you need to put down a deposit to get waited on! The huge demand for the bikes has fostered and environment where there is no need for customer service or selling skills. This will come back and bite these dealers in the butt. I am sure H-D will motor through this little blip. I love the V-Rod technology but the styling, even though I like it, sure reminds me of "NEW COKE".

even if you despise their motorcycles so much you couldn't be paid to ride one, the people who do ride them are out there in huge numbers, they are often affluent, and they are usually very dedicated to the rights of motorcyclists whether affluent or not.

If Harley-Davidson went the way of so many other marques it wouldn't be very many years before the cellphone zombies in cages and the do-gooders who would like to get motorcycles off the road entirely (so they have one less thing to look out for and get sued by) would almost certainly prevail. Let's all remember that the 2nd biggest "motorcycle" company operating in the US (which combined with Harley would make up the majority of full-size motorcycles sold here) is a company that now sells one helluva lot more CARS than they do motorcycles! So we all know who their corporate loyalty is going to be with if push comes to shove.

Though I don't currently own a Harley I sure hope they stay around here for a LONG time!

I can remember back 10+ years ago..... Harley had used the breathing room that Ronald Reagan gave them to develop the Evolution engine and soon...... they started selling bikes like crazy... and then we heard about the waiting lists, and the jacked up prices...... every yuppie suddenly wanted one.

And a decade ago, I heard people say, "It won't last" and "It's a fad". And I believed them. I thought, "Are there really that many people who want to pay over $15,000 for a motorcycle. Eventually everyone who wants one will have one and there will be a flood of used Harleys on the market".

But, I was WRONG !!!! There are just tons of guys out there who dream of owning a Harley, wouldn't think of riding anything else. And, these tons of guys are willing to pay anything to have their dream bikes. So Harley doesn't have anything to worry about, it has a virtual monopoly on a HUGE segment of the American motorcycle market. Furthermore, the people who make up this huge market share don't really expect much from Harley in regards to performance, innovation, comfort, handling ect. I'm not saying that Harleys don't have any performance, innovation, comfort or handling......... I'm just saying they don't NEED to. All a Harley has to do is look like a Harley and say "Harley Davidson" on the tank. I mean, nobody buys Harleys based on their stats or how they stack up against other bikes in magazine road tests. Most Harley buyers never seriously look at other bikes.

Softening? Perhaps, but to what degree? Go step foot into your local Japanese or Italian brand dealers. These guys sit on huge inventories. Everyone knows that if you want a Honda (and you live where its snows) buy it in the winter. Honda practically gave me a VFR in the fall of 1999 and VFRs are high in demand for sport/sport touring bikes.

Please remember the HD dealer network is big, around 1,000 dealers in the US. Some are dealers and some are stealers. If you accurately study the supply/demand you will quickly learn that the stealers are the ones with some limited models on the floor and lower waiting lists on other models, not surprising given their business model - gouge, gouge, gouge!

Next visit some responsible dealerships that value a long-term customer base. They still don't have bikes.

It's funny because someone now walks in the local boutique and sees 5 bikes on the floor and thinks the market for Harleys is crattering. Well walk across the street to the Honda, Suzuki, Duc ______ (plug whatever other brands you want to in the blank) and compare their inventories and their margins.

No doubt the market will get saturated with Fat Boys and Heritage Softails, but Harley is doing a mcuh better job to create new demand than they have in the past. I think the V-Rod is a fine example along with the vast improvements they have made to their historical lines.

If the demand does soften significantly in 2004, like many believe, I don't care I have a lot of space in my garage and a strong interest to expand my stable at more reasonable prices.

Before questioning the staleness of his sources, you had better check the freshness of your info. No we are not in a recession, however, consumer spending was down for the month of July and the core inflation rate (with energy prices removed) edged up two tenths of a percent. Not a big deal, but not down as you suggest. Also, the economy is not warming up. It is expected to stay as is through Q4 with most companies forcasting improving conditions in Q1 and Q2 of 2002. If the previous poster lives in the manufacturing belt (i.e. the Midwest) things definitely are not great there. Also, the skyrocketing real estate prices are killing people in San Jose. People who paid $750,000 for a two bedroom bungalow when they thought their stock options had some value are having a rough time finding buyers. While in other parts of the country the economic climate wonderful. It's all a matter of perspective. Everyone here is happy that you did get the Hooked on Phonics program and are trying to put it to good use.

I agree with some of your point that people will buy it because of the name, but most Harley owners like the way Harleys perform. They think the handling and performance is just fine. If this was not true, obviously all of these rich, newbie HD owners could afford to buy a coulple of those rather inexpensive better handling and performing bikes to suit a different riding style. From what I have observed many don't, they like their Hogs just the way they are - except for the $5,000 in doo dads they bolted on

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